Now What??
by Laura the infamous B
Summary: Missing scene to New Family.


**Now What?**

a missing scene to New Family

'I'm going to be deformed for life. The imprint of my palm is going to become permanently etched in my face. Little indents will form from where every finger has laid since I was stupid enough to prop my elbow on this desk, and plop my face in my open palm.'

Nick Tatopoulos sighed.

This was not a conversation a grown man should be having with himself. But, it sure beat the other argument that had wanted to crop up in his head.

Like.. What the heck was he thinking?

Dawn was creeping up. Dull hues of red and orange sneaking through the filthy windows of the boat house become poor man's research outpost. Maybe, someday, he should actually clean those said same windows.

Naaaa...

Nick heaved a sigh and kept his face resting in his hand. Sleep had been totally evasive and he hadn't needed the cup of coffee gone cold to help keep him awake this night. Who needed caffeine? He had something far stronger to keep his mind racing and alert.

Namely- one large green lizard.

What the heck were you thinking?

Nick snarled at the thought and forced his face out of his palm. What was he thinking? What insane instinct had kept him from letting Elsie call in Hicks?

The chair creaked as Nick leaned back. Instinct was the only word he had for it, because rational thought had totally flown out the window the moment that lizard had plucked him up like the rag doll he was.

Oh, sure, he'd come up with some fast lines, and fast thinking, when convincing the others to keep the lizard a secret. But fast talk was what it had really been. And now, Nick was downright afraid to look out that door this morning. What would be waiting for him? Nothing? The boat ramp empty. Or... Or a large lizard that suddenly seemed to take a propitiatory interest in him?

Nick wasn't sure which possibility scared him more.

A smile creeped up on Nick's face as yet another insane thought be-bopped through his head. 'A boy and his lizard.' Sounded like a killer B-movie title. Something Randy would like to see.

But, stupid thoughts weren't going to give him his answers.

Maybe he could attempt to fall asleep and avoid the answer all together. Nick swiveled the chair about and cast a look over the rag-tag lab and it's comfortably beaten couch. There was an old army couch in the back, but Nick thought he remembered Elsie claiming that sometime last night. Mendel had gone home and Randy had gone...

Where had Randy gone?

Nick just shook his head. Probably club hoping. It was, or more to the point, had been a Friday.

Soooo...

Was he going to get up and see what was waiting for him, or was he going to sit here being a coward?

Humm... Coward sounded nice.

Nick chuckled. But...

But he was curious. Despite the state of absolute terror he had been in when Godzilla had nabbed him, there was also an incredible fascination as well. Even more in the fact that Godzilla had remembered him. That he could remember him, and more so, seemed to recognize him as some sort of parent figure.

Well... When Nick's mother bothered him for grandchildren, he was sure this was not what she had in mind.

Was that it? Was that why Godzilla had spared him, instead of making a tasty snack out of the scientist? Did the lizard see some connection between them? Was his fast talking excuse to Elsie the truth?

'_Answer's out there brainy-ack_,' his thoughts happily intruded.

Yup. They were, he agreed, not moving from his chair.

'_Some scientist you are_...'

Nick smiled again. Scientist. Yea, he was one. But his projects no longer seem to involve anything so small and harmless as the earthworm. Now his projects had teeth. Long, sharp ones.

Teeth that had been an arm lengths away, but coming no closer. Nick frowned. He'd been scared silly when that serrated muzzle had hovered in front of him, but once the fact Godzilla wasn't going to eat him had seeped through his thick skull, Nick had felt the most overwhelming sensation of awe. Godzilla had remembered him. Him!

Damn. He kept coming back to that fact, and how it made him feel.

It made him feel special. Okay, that was sappy sounding, but it was the truth. Nick dealt with truths. He felt special when Godzilla had put him down and rumbled happily, waiting for him to make the next move. That was why Nick had protected Godzilla from Elise. Had argued so passionately on his behalf. A deep sigh escaped the young man. Nick had a feeling it wasn't the last time he was going to have to argue for the giant lizard.

'_If he's still out there_.'

Nick frowned, looked thoughtfully at his hands, then made himself get up. Took the stairs down so he didn't have to use the elevator and wake Elsie. In the lower level he paused in front of the corrugated door.

Then, he opened it.

And was met by a wall of gray-green scales. Nick stared at it for a second mesmerized. A strange sensation of relief passed through him at the sight.

Godzilla had stayed. It wasn't just a fluke the monster remembered him. Something more was going on in that reptile brain that kept the young lizard by the building all night.

Nick hadn't made a sound, but there was a rippling surge through the wall of scaly muscle and it lifted as Godzilla woke from his slumber. Silently, Nick just watched as the creature stretched up his full height, jaws dropping open in a yawn that sent a flutter through his heart. But it was only a yawn, and the jaws snapped shut as the small, orange eyes focused on him. Godzilla let out a wuffle and curiously dropped his head down to eye level with the scientist.

"Hey, big guy," Nick said, for the lack of anything better. There was a nice ring to the nick-name. And it was fitting, there was no arguing that. Godzilla took a sniff, nostrils flaring as the lizard double checked Nick's scent, then let out a friendly rumble, cocking his head curiously at the human.

Okay. Godzilla's here. Now what?

Swallowing back a nervous gulp, Nick took a step away from the protective structure of the boat house. Not toward Godzilla, but a side step away from the safety of the door. Even though the lizard had not grown anywhere near the size of its birth parent, it was still a frightening notion to be standing near that living wall of muscle and claws in the open.

Tail weaving lazily, Godzilla rose up, craned his head down curiously, then shifted slightly and dropped his head again back to eye level. There was a sniff, and the lizard waited.

Nick's frowned thoughtfully at the curious gesture, mind going to work. There was something special going on here. Nick studied Godzilla's posture. Something was going on in that reptile mind, but what? He was a biologist, it was time to do his job. Godzilla had risen, noticed him, then had greeted him with a wuffle and had acted oddly when he had stepped...

Oh.. Nick you idiot.

Godzilla had recognized him, now he was waiting for Nick to recognize him back. Confirm that Nick did see Godzilla as his own. Oh god, he hadn't been grasping at straws! It was some imprinting instinct that led Godzilla to believe he was a parent. And now his *child* was waiting for him to recognize it. Apparently, his verbal greeting wasn't enough. Not surprising. Not like the lizard was really going to grasp English, and the reptiles own vocabulary so far consisted of attack roars, or curious wuffles.

Just how did one say hi back to a 10 story lizard? The biologist certainly wasn't going to be foolish enough to try an emulate Godzilla's own verbal communication. He'd probably end up insulting the lizard. Not a good idea.

Slowly, hand out, Nick slipped forward. He licked his lips nervously. Without the benefit of verbal communication there was really only one way for him to let Godzilla know he recognized him, and that was tactile.

So he would use the oldest form of communication. Touch.

Godzilla watched curiously as Nick's hand landed on the scaly snout. It wasn't like touching a snake, as he thought it might be. The scales were rougher, thicker, freshly grown and not worn in with time as they would be on an adult. His fingers curled into a valley formed by the colliding plates. Nick's fear evaporated as the lizard let him run his hand over the blunt nose, the nostril drawing in a breath that sucked his hair forward. He laughed, and Godzilla let out a snort and drew back, standing upright. Apparently, that was enough. His touch was enough of a recognition to make the lizard happy.

"So you really want to keep him?"

Nick spun about at the unexpected voice and caught sight of Elsie hanging in the doorway. Godzilla saw her too, and let out a low rumble that didn't bode well.

Oh damn... Nick flashed a look up at the lizard. Okay, job number one. Keep Godzilla from eating anyone else on the team.

"Godzilla!" he shouted, grabbing the lizard's attention. Godzilla looked at him, sniffed, then looked at Elsie and frowned, the tail weaving more aggressively.

"It's okay, Godzilla," Nick called, edging back. "It's okay."

Then he caught sight of Elsie edging back also.

"No, don't. Stay right there," he ordered, and she looked at him like he'd gone mad. Maybe he had, but suddenly Nick had a feeling that Godzilla could understand him.. a little. Maybe enough.

"This is crazy, Tatopoulos," Elsie hissed, but Nick just smiled. Of course it was crazy. Sane had gone out the window the moment he decided to protect the monster of Manhattan.

"Godzilla," Nick called, ignoring Elise's complaints. "Okay. It's okay." He reached out and touched Elise's arm, holding on even as he faced the curious lizard.

"Friend. Friend," he repeated firmly. Godzilla gave a sniff, then a rumble, and eyed them up curiously. Nick just watched back, feeling Elsie getting ready to bolt when the monster took a single step forward putting Godzilla right in front of them.

"Nick..."

"It's okay, Elsie. He's just curious,"

"Oh, and now you're the expert," she muttered.

"Just trust me," he countered, because it was the only argument he had.

Elsie muttered something, but didn't pull away as Godzilla sniffed them. Then, the lizard pulled up and let out an indifferent rumble.

Nick grinned. Damn, the big guy had figured it out hadn't he. Had seen that Nick didn't treat Elsie as a threat, so neither should he. How smart was the lizard? What could he teach it? What could it teach him?

Nothing else at the moment. Perhaps it was just Nick's imagination, but he thought he heard the lizard's stomach rumble. The reptile suddenly seemed to loose all interest in them, and turned toward the boat ramp.

Hungry. Of course Godzilla would wake up hungry. Nick grinned without thought. Godzilla was a growing monster afterall.

"Go on," he called, though whether Godzilla needed his blessing was doubtful. "Go to the water."

With a rumble, Godzilla did just that. Head ducking down slightly as the sleek reptile slipped gracefully into the waters of the bay, sending waves rolling up the boat launch.

"You are certifiable, Nick," Elsie muttered, but with no heat in her voice.

Nick nodded to himself.

"Possibly," he admitted as Godzilla rose once, let out a gust, then disappeared beneath the waves.

Then he turned to Elsie and grinned. "Though I get a feeling the real craziness has only just begun."


End file.
